Sign.



P. WITZ.

SIGN.

APPLICATION rILED Dsc. 15, 1913,

1,120,876, Patanted Dec. 15, 1914.

PHII'LIP WITZ, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented DOC. 16'), 1914 Application filed December 15, 1913. Serial No. 806.942.

To all "whom it may concern,

)ie it known that I, IniLLrr VVrrZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ot' Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention. such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved sign or business bulletin; and, to this end, it consists of the novel devicesv and combinations of devices hereinafter de scribed and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings z--Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved sign; Fig. :2 is a side elevation of the same, sonic parts being broken away, and some of the exposed parts being indicated in section; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the improved sign, some parts being broken away, and some of the exposed parts shown in section; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the so-called character units holder, having mounted thereon a plurality of the character units, some parts of said frame being separated, and some parts indicated in section; Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4, but showing the parts assembled; Fig. 6 is a face view of one ofthe character units; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal central section taken through the character unit; and Fig. 8 is a transverse section thereof. f

The numeral 1 indicates a rectangular metallic frame having rigidly secured there-v ito a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extended bars 2 having, on their upper and lower faces, guide channels 3,

Hinged to the back of the frame 1 is a metallic casing 4 having, at its upper edge, a hand piece 5, and having, at its `lower edge, a pairV of feet (i, on which the improved sign is supported.

i Mounted Within the casing 4 is a plurality of electric lamps 7, the wiring of which is located within a conduit 8 on the back of the casing 4. The casing 4 and lamps 7 afford a iight font. Screws 9, or other suitable means, are provided for holding the casing 4 on the frame. Hinged to the back of the casing 4 is a pair ot' supporting feet l0, adapted to hold the improved sign in an inclined position. 'l`hc c Vl'cct l() are lsecured in different oblique positions by a bent rod 11 hinged to the back of thc casing 4, and having interlocking engagement with the teeth ot' a verticallv extended bar 1Q secured to thc feet 1f). i

The frame l. at one edge, is open at 13. to permit character unit holders 14 to be ap plied to or removed from the frame 1. bv sliding the same horizontally in the channels 3 formed in the bars Each of these holders is in the form of a U-shaped rod adapted to receive and hold a plurality of interchangeable unit characters 15. Each character unit comprises a rectangular frame 16 having marginal clenching edges 17 adapted to hold, within the frame, a front and back plate 18 and 1), respectively.

The frames 16 are provided with sleeve like ends 20 adapted to be telescoped onto the prongs of the holder 14. and at one side of the` frame 1,6 is a joint strip Q1, adapted to overlap the adjacent edge of one of the character units. These joint stripsl 21 form a barred etiect between the several character letters, and, also, give the same a neat appearance.

The character units assembled on each holder 14 are secured against removal therefrom by a head clamp 22, in the form of a scar spring. The ends of this clamp are bent laterally .ind adapted for interlocking engagement with perforations Q3 formed in the ends of the prongs of the holder 14, outward of the character units. The clamps 22, at the junction with their laterally bent ends, are expanded to afford shallow channels to receive the prongs of said holders, and thereby secure said clamps against lat eral movement and alined with said holders. These clamps QQ also aford linger pieces, by which the holders 14 may be removed from or inserted into the frame 1.

The plate 18 of each character unit is preferably made from clear glass, with a background of paint or other opaque material outlining the letter, ligure, or character represented on the character unit. The plate 19 is preferably made from opal glass or other translucent material. Obviously, in constructing the character unit as described, the paint or background placed between the two plates 18 and 19 cannotbe marred or scratched, and the same is also Weatherproof. By mounting the plates 18 and ll) in a frame, as described, they onnnot he easily broken.

Blanks or dummies 211i? having, on their upper' and lower edges, sleeves 25 adopted to be teleoooiied onto the pronge1 of the holders Ll, are provided for closing one or more of the peces between the here i?, when the same is not in use These dummies are made oi' Sonie. suitable opnfipie innierizili to out out the .light from lille hgh?, :foon

From alle l'ore foin aieeeription, 'it is evident that who fallo.' i' un l'lelo. terclizuigenlile, :infl the, unil.. ohnrzwlers ami dummies .rire also inilriivlnmgenole The above floeorilieii device has, in chiel usage, been found highly ellioient for the purpose had in view.

l. The combination. with a ironie structure having spliced guide mils between which the light may pose5 of :i skeleton elisir- :ieter nnit holder sliclzahlv and removably mounted on sind guide mile, interchangeable character units oletaohnhly mounted on the said hohl-er, ando demping head npplied to said, holder und removable therewith from said guide mils for looking Said olniriioter units to saidl holder, seid clamp ing head Comprising :ji linger piece by which Suid holder mii; 'ne applied to said guide rolls or reniovel therefrom.

2. l`lic coinliiniitiijin with n frame structure having spliced guide mils between which the light. may pass, of a character unit holder in the form of a U-shaped rod slifliibly and removably mounted on said guide rails? interchangeable opaque characn ter units with tinnsluoent characters, said character units having sleeve--like ends telescoped Onto the prongs of said holder, nd a clamping head applied to the prongs o said holder and removable therewith from said gniole rails, for looking salici character units' on Smil hohl i3. The combination n, iframe struc ture having spliced, mile between which the light ning; pees, of o character unit holder in the form of n Ushnped rod slidably and removably mounted on said guide rails, interchangeable opaque cham@ ter unite with translucentehnraciers, said.

ahziriioter units having sleeve-like ends tele scoped onto the prongs of said holder, and a spring clamping head having interlocking engagement with thev prongs of said holder and removable therewith from seid guidernils, for looking said character units on Said holder.

1n testimony whereof allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILLP WITZ.

l/Vitnesses EMILY MAY KING, HARRY D. Kimono` 

